The Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven has just ended. On show was a wild mix of all kind of design projects – reaching from young gunslingers to well-known old stagers of the dutch design world. One of the creative epicentres of Eindhoven is Strijp-S. Many designers, stylists, visual artists, and musicians have settled in the former Philips complex where in 1891 the first light bulb factory was founded. During DDW, this is where more than 100 large and small events were taking place. The prominent Klokgebouw was the hotspot for people who wanted to attend a wide range of daily lectures, workshops, seminars, and exhibitions. Particularly interesting I found the pop up Tijdelijk Restaurant. Placed in a former changing basement under Strijp-S it offered a nice place for eating and drinking – by day self-service above the washbasins, in the evening dining under the lockers.
Archive for October, 2009
18/10
Pizza East / Good Restaurant Interior Design Shoreditch
As far as good new restaurant interior design goes Nic Jones, founder of the Soho House Group does it again with his new pizza restaurant called Pizza East. Which is opened to all and on the ground floor of the Tea building in Shoreditch. I say open to all because for those who don’t know, in the same building is Shoreditch House, which is one the most contemporary restaurant design spaces in London and which is only open to members. Therefore, the introduction of Pizza East for all the non-members who want a slice of the House styled grittiness is the perfect antidote. The site is located in the corner of the Tea building on the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Bethnal Green Road. This building lends its self perfectly to restaurant design concepts of this ilk. The site I guess can cater for 100 to 150 persons, and still with plenty of room to swing your bicycle or scooter helmet, (unfortunately cats are not allowed).
The building space already has the excellent backdrop of the tea building, which has exposed brick, concrete ceiling and columns and crittall glazed windows. However, I believe the previous tenant had concealed a lot of these finishes with either dark paint of poor lighting, I never remember the building fabric looking so rich in it’s raw state. The fabric has always been there, it just took the right operator to enhance these features.
Regarding the restaurant design layout there is a long open kitchen with two wood burning pizzas ovens. A centralised
dispense bar that neatly breaks up the space into different areas. There is also a large communal table I assume for when the site is over whelmed with customers. It has to be the biggest dining table in this area. The window seats have to be the best but we did find with the late autumn sun a little over bearing and our table of 6 had to recamp to the rear of the restaurant to avoid the sun.
The restaurant furniture design is very simple, with exposed wood table tops that are used through out the space. Industrial bent metal chairs with bentwood ply seats and backs. String formed lamps hang over the long 18 seater singer bracketed stools. Exposed galvanised extract ducting and polished chrome ventilation hug the surface of the concrete soffit. A diamond button back antique leather banquette sits against an exposed brickwork wall, with chipped enamel down lighters.
Restaurant menus design has been kept very simple, with the layout mimicking what is going on in Shoreditch House. I expected the pizzas to be exactly the same as the those in the members club upstairs. However, to my surprise the pizza arrived more rustic and earthy, the pastry being more crispy. Personally I don’t mind, I am just impressed that the group have decided to make the detail of the pizza offer different.
Overall, an excellent additional to the Shoreditch area, which we as a design team will enjoying going to in the future.
16/10
The Fun Theory – Viral Marketing by Volkswagen
This is a bit of viral marketing done by Volkswagen. They (or rather the ad agency DDB Stockholm) have initiated The Fun Theory, a series of experiments, captured on video, to find out if making the world more fun can improve people’s behavior.
This site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.
15/10
Darwin Centre by CF Møller Architects
The £78 million Darwin Centre at London’s Natural History Museum by CF Møller Architects has opened last month to the public. The structure takes the form of an eight storey concrete cocoon surrounded by a glass atrium and provides research facilities for UK scientists as well as safe storage for the museum’s millions of specimens. The centre will invite up to 2,500 visitors a day. This second phase of design completes the museum’s Western site and connects Alfred Waterhouse’s 1881 building with the first phase of the Darwin Centre that opened in 2002. The public is invited to take part in a “cocoon tour” where they will be able to see some of the 350 scientists at work in laboratories behind glass screens and look at some of the 17 million insect specimens, three million plant specimens and countless mammals in jars (not by Damien Hirst but the museum’s long term collection). This is science with a coolness factor – accessible, entertaining, inspiring and educational.
12/10
Found Form lamps by Enina Waelstham
The growing family of lamps ‘Found Form’ is the first design to be presented under Dutch native Enina Waelstham’s own name and company. It is a clear presentation of her company Mormels’ vision for design, for the future of our planet and our homes.
“At mormels it is all about our daily experiences within our cluttered environment. We have grown used to being bombarded by images and are able to process and consume these at a very high speed. Mormels tries to use this existing language and re-use, recycle as you like, it as to break you out of your standard viewpoint.”
‘Found Form’ investigates reusing the wealth we already have in our world, as the shapes of the lamps come from existing objects in our everyday surroundings. By linking these shapes and taking their combined shape via the traditional technique of papier-mâché a new fascinating object comes to life. The material used to create the lamps over these objects is recycled paper, thus creating a lightweight, eco friendly, biodegradable and unique lamp.
07/10
Chipotle: Simple yet Spicy Designs
When restauranteur Steven Ells decided to expand his Denver-based Mexican Grill, he paired up with his friend and architect, Brand Gould, to develop a design strategy that reflected Chipotle’s core business philosophy: “simple materials put together creatively”.
The result? An interior design concept that is consistent in its colors and materials, but gives local designers the creative license to adapt the footprint to fit each unique space. Based on an industrial feel, the elemental materials found in all 830+ restaurants include concrete, corrugated metal, stainless steel, schedule-40 plumbing pipes, and birch wood. While at most Chipotle locations you will find stainless steel-covered birch used as tabletops and counters, in some the birch transcends functional purposes and acts as decorative ceiling art. Even their custom-designed artwork by Bruce Gueswel is created through a clever combination of these raw materials. Aside from the chili-red signature paint color and rust-brown stained concrete floors, the materials within the space maintain their natural palette – again mirroring the concept of natural ingredients in the food.
In addition to setting the standard for “fast-casual” dining, Chipotle also incorporates sustainable architecture in their buildings and is a leader among restaurants in green design. They have gained recognition through sustainability efforts such as construction recycling programs, tankless water heaters, high-efficiency appliances, durable recycled finishes and materials, and non-toxic cleaning supplies. Their Gurnee, Illinois location generates about 5% of its own electricity needs via a 6-kw wind turbine, and was the first restaurant ever awarded Platinum Level LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Photos taken from 2 Manhattan Chipotle locations
